Lbyi houston



(No Model.)

L. HOUSTON.

CIRCULAR SAWING MACHINE.

No. 300,369. Patented June 17, 1884.

WITNESSES N. PETEM Pwvulhugnphlr, wxlhingmn. 0.0.

UniTnn STaTns PATENT @rrres.

LEVI HOUSTON, OF MONTGOMERY STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

CBRCULAR SAWING hilACl'liNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,369, dated June 1?, 1884.

Application filed April 9, 1884. (No model.)

To ail whom it may 0077.00 22,.

Be it known that I, Lnvr Housron, of Montgomery Station, in the county of Lycoining and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in \VoodTSawing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to swinging saws; and it consists in providing the swinging frame with a counter-ha] ance arranged, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, to assist in carrying the saw forward or backward from a given point after it is manually carried slightly to one or the other side of said point.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same.

Swinging saws are generally mounted in pendulous frames provided with a counterbalance weight or spring so arranged as to carry the frame and saw back to their normal position after a cut is made. Such arrangement is obj eotionable for the reason that the entire eifcetof the counter-balance must be overcome by the operator in drawing the frame and saw forward to perform the cutting operation, and this resistance, added to that offered by the wood to be cut, necessitates the use of considerable force to draw it forward, the resistance increasing as the saw advances in its out. Under my plan the counterbalance serves to put the frame nearly in a state of equilibrium, so that it can be moved in either direction with great case, though being automatically carried in one or the other direction when barely past a given point to one or the other side, means of adjustment being provided so that the action of the counter-balance may be regulated an d made to act with greater force in one or the other direction.

In the drawings, A A represent the hangers or brackets, which are secured to the ceiling or overland timbers, and in which is mounted a shaft, B, which in turn carries the bandwheel (3 and fast and loose pulleys D E, as usual.

Loosely hung upon the shaft B, preferably between the hangers A A, is the depending saw hanger or frame F, which is forked at both ends, and carries a shaft, G, at the lower end, on which is mounted a belt-pulley, II,

and saw I. The saw is provided with a guard, L, having a handle, ill, by which to move the swinging frame back and forth in the are of a circle concentric with shaft 13. Hanger A has a depending arm, N, provided with a laterally-projecting pin, 0, upon which is mounted the hub or sleeve P of the counterweight-arm Q. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pendulous arm is furnished near its upper end with a yoke, R, which extends forward and backward from said arm, and is furnished with per forated cars a, to receive threaded stems or rods 7), the inner ends of which are jointed or attached to opposite ends of a chain or cord, S, which passes one or more times about the hub P of counterbalancearni T, as shown. The stems or rods 1) are furnished with nuts outside of the cars a, which serve to tighten the chain or band S upon the hub. By loosening these nuts the arm F may be swung to any desired position without causing a rotation of the hub P, and consequently without moving the counter-weight T; but when tightened by turning up the nuts the chain will bind upon and rotate the hub, causing the counter-weight to move in unison with the pendulous arm or saw-frame. As illustrated in the drawings, the adjustment is such that the counter-weight will be raised vertically into line with pivot-arm (l); as the frame or arm F assumes a vertical position, and under such arrangement the force or effect of the weight will be transferred from one direction to the other as the axis of the saw passes a vertical plane passing through the pivotal center of frame F. The change of action in the counter-weight will obviously occur always as the counter-weight passes the vertical plane of its pivotal axis, but by the adjustment above explained the angle at which frame F shall hang at the time of such change and the consequent effect of the counter weight will be determined. Under the arrangement shown and described the counter bala ce serves to hold the saw and saw frame back in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 until drawn forward by hand, the counter weight offering some, but not a great amount, of resistance until it swings back of its pivot, from which point it aids in carrying the saw forward through the wood. The counter-balance T readily adbelow the center of gravity and at a point in- 5' justs itself to any movement of the saw-frame F, and, being on an independent shaft, distinct and separate from that of the frame, its weight is not upon said saw-frame and its shaft.

The counter balance or weight T is made adjustable upon its arm Q in order to vary the force or action of the weight, and is held at any desired adjustment by means of a setscrew, U, passing through the weight and bearing on the arm T.

Motion is communicated to the pulley D by means of a belt from any convenient source, and transmitted from pulley G by a belt, K, to the saw arbor or shaft G, as will be readily understood upon referring to Fig. 1.

Some of the advantages of this construction may be secured by applying the counterweight directly to frame F and arranging it in such relation thereto as to pass a given line, and to act in reverse directions, according as it is to one or the other side of said line; but the construction and arrangement shown and described is preferred. The frame is pushed backward until the weight passes the center, when it serves to complete the retraction of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a swinging sawframe, a counter-balance, and an arm or lever for said counter-balance connected with the swinging frame, substantially as described, the pivot of said arm or lever being located termediate between the limits of movement of said counter-balance, substantially as and for the purpose explained.

2. In combination with a swinging saw frame, a counter-balance therefor, and' an intermediate coupling connecting the frame and the counter-balance, said connection being adjustable, substantially as described, to permit the relative inclinations of the counter-balance and the swinging frame to be regulated or varied at will.

3. In combination with hanger A, swinging saw-frame F, provided with yoke R, counterbalance Q, provided with hub P and weight T, andpivoted to hanger A, and band S, passing about the hub P, and having its ends attached, respectively, to opposite ends of the yoke, substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination witha hanger or sup port, a swinging saw-frame, F, provided with a yoke, R, an arm, Q, provided with counter-balance T, and hub P, journaled upon support independent of the swinging frame, a band, S, passing about the hub I, attached at its ends to opposite end of the yoke B, one or both ends of the band being provided with a threaded stem and nut, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

LEVI HOUSTON.

\Vitnesses:

S. T. MCCORMICK, T. H. McOoRMIcK. 

